The new Center for Innovation in Sleep Self-Management (CISSM) is aimed at developing, testing and implementing self-management interventions to help adults and children with chronic illnesses sleep better and improve their health.

The center will leverage self-monitoring technologies, such as smart home sensors that track noise, light and temperature; mobile applications that measure dietary, exercise and caffeine intake; and wrist monitors that measure sleep-wake activity and light levels. These tools will allow patients to monitor their sleep behavior, set goals and receive feedback on adopting healthy behaviors.

Researchers will also incorporate common data elements (CDEs) including pain intensity, fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, and positive affect and well-being, and technology to create a large repository that can be shared with other National Institute of Nursing Research-funded center grants, benefiting scientists and patients nationwide.

The center is funded with a $2.4 million, five-year grant from the NINR, part of the National Institutes of Health.